Apparatus for propelling ships or boats.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

F. C. OBR. APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1.0.1904..

4 SHEETS-SHEET l,

SAM Y .9m

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

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P. C. OBR. APPARATUS PoR PROPELLING SHIPS 0R BOATS. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 10.1904.

No. 789,334. V PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

P. C. ORR.

APPARATUS POR PROPELLING SHIPS 0R- BOATS. Y

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 10.1904..y

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 789.334. PATENTEDMAY 9, 1905.

F. C. ORR. APPARATUS POR PROPELLING SHIPS 0R BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY L0, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHPBT 4,

' einem. cEciL ons, oF-

' Patented lay 9, 1905.

PATENT Y OFFICE.

STILLoReAN, IRELAND;-

4APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OFI BOATS.

SPIEl'JIFIGAI!{IQIBT4 forming' of Letters Patent No 789,334, dated Hay 9, 1965.

Application med my 1o, 1904. serai No. 207.314.

To all whom t may concern:

` Be it known that I, FiNeALCnciL ORR, engineer, a subject of His Majesty the King of Great Britain and Ireland and. of the British Dominicus Beyond tbe Seas, Emperor of India. residing atmana, Stillorgan, in the` county of Dublin, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling Ships or Boats, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention has reference to apparatus of the kind described in the speclication in connection with my joint British Letters Patent No'. 9,099 oi' A. D. 1902, with Mark Louis Orr for propelling ships, launches, boats, and other vessels, (all hereinafter referred to as ships and boats.) In the said apparatus the ship or boat is propelled by the explosion at short intervals of time of gas or explosive vapor or petrol or other explosive material acting directly on the water through a pipe or pipes provided with non-return valves and opening out oi the vessel ahead' and astern below the water-line and arranged in such a man-- ner thatthe expansion of the gases resulting from the explosion forces .the water from the pipe or 'pipes at the stern or at the bows, according to which of the non-return valves is open, which has the eiect of propelling the vessel in the lopposite direction to that in which the water is being expelled.

' My present invention consists principally oi' improvements in the construction ot the combustion-chamber and parts immediately connected therewith whereby I am enabled to maintain the explosive charge in the combustion-chamber under any desired .degree of compression until firing and then 'to act upon the water in the water-tubewhen the maxi. mum explosive pressure has been reached., so

that by this means I get the full benefit of the f pressure due to the compression and explosion of the charge,Y and, moreover, 'after each explosion I am enabled to insure the vpressure of the products of the `previous combustion in the combustion-chamber falling to a low .pres- 'sre, so as to insure economy in working;

v Another part of my present invention consists of an improved form of ahead-valve which isautomatc in its action and can readily be set when desired to give a free passage through thewater-tube when going astern.

, My invention also comprises other minor improvements, as hereinafter described.

I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawings, on whichN Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a boat with propelling apparatus constructed in accordance Ywith this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of valve, Fig. 3 showing the valve turnedv into the position which it occupies when the boat is going ahead, and Fig. 4 shows the aheadvalve turned one-quarter round, as when the `.boat is going astern. Fig. 5 is a plan of the apparatus shown by Fig. 9, but with part of the combustion-chamber broken away, so aS to show the aheadvalve underneath. It is to loe-understood that my drawings only show to illustrate my present improvements.

The same letters ol reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

A is the combustion-chamber in which the explosive charge is tired.

B is the outlet from the combustion-cham- .CBQ which opens out of the vessel ahead at c vand astern 0 below the water-line D.

In carrying out the first part of my invention the outlet B from the combustion-chamber A to the water-tube C' C2 C3 is'controlled by a mushroom or other suitable valve E, and immediately opposite this valve E the upper part of the combustion-chamber is formed as connected by the piston-rod g' to the val ve E, so' that the valve E ,and piston G can only move together. The area of the piston Gr and of the cylinder F is larger than the area of Athe valve E. The upper or outlet end of the cylinder E is closed by a suitable cylindercover f'., in which is an inlet H, controlled by a spring or other suitable non-return valve h', opening inwardly and through which air or gas under pressure can be forced into the cylinder E on the top of the piston G, so as to such parts of the apparatus as are necessary ber, communicating with the waterfpipe C' C2 '6o thesaid apparatusonalarger scale. Figs.3and 4 are sectional plans of my improved aheadf a cylinder F, fitted with 'a piston Gr, which is.

close the valve E down onto its seating. The 10 resistance in the opposite directionon the piston G, due to the pressure of the air or gas in the cylinder F on the top of the lpiston plus the force of gravity due to the weight of the piston G and piston-rod g' and valve E. When this pressure is attained the piston G will begin to rise and lift the valve E off its seating, and thus open the passage B to the water-tube U' C2 C3. In practice, however, just before this pressure has been attained I fire the charge in the combustion-chamber A, which causes the pressure in the 'combustion-chamber to rise with a bound from the compresslon-pres- .sure (due to the pumpor fan) to the maximumy explosionpressure, this sudden increase of pressure in the combustion-chamber causing the piston G to rise suddenly toward the'top of the cylinder,l and thus to open widely the valve E from the combustion-chamber A to the water-tube C', so that the full force of the explosion-pressure is obtained on the water in the tube C C2 C3. As the explosive pressure in the combustion-chamber A now acts on the under side ofthe valve E and neutralizes the pressure on the top of the same the whole area of the under side of the piston G becomes effective to the A eXplosion-pressu re, thus increasing the -resistance of the pressure of the compressed air or gas in the cylinder F on the top of the piston G,'which is tending to close the valve E. Thus it will be seen that the pressure in the combustion-chamber A must now fall considera-bly below the original compression-pressure before the pressure of the compressed air or gas in the cylinder F will be suicient to force down theV piston G and close the valve E. I thus insure economy in working, as the products of combustion remaining in the combustion-chamber A fall down to a very low pressure before the valve E closes and the next charge of explosive mixture is admitted. Y

On the top of the combustion-chamber A there is, as heretofore, the outlet I' for the escape of the products of combustion remaining from the previous charge and which are forced through the outlet l by the next charge of explosive mixture entering the lower part of the combustion-chamber a through the inlet a'. Abovetheoutlet l' there is, as described in the specification of the prior British Letters Patent N o. 9,099 of 1902, above referred to, the self-acting valve J, which is made to be closed by the internal pressure in the comwhen the fresh lchargeis being forced into the combustion-chamber A through vthe inlet a' the products of combustion of the previous charge are forced through the outlet I and valve J to the under side of the valve K, and when the desired compression pressure in the combustion-chamber A is reached theremaining products of combustion of the previous charge are forced through the valve K into the atmosphere, and when the charge in the combustion-chamber A is tired the sudden increase of pressure momentarily closes the valve J so as to prevent the escape ofthe pressure except through the outlet B, and then as the pressure in the combustion-chamber A falls again the valve J opens for the products of combustion to pass to the under side of the Valve K.. l

My improved ahead-valve, which`is arranged in the fore end of the water-tube C', is made as follows: I provide a 'suitable cylindrical chamber L` having an inlet l at. one side and an outlet F at the other side with anges to tix to the water-tube C', and in this cylinder L,I provide two disks (marked, respectively, M M2) arranged oneabove the other below the inlet and'outlet passages Z' Z2 and connected together by a web or plate M3, having an opening fitted with a non-return valve N or with two or more of the same. The upper disk M2 has a spindlepart m' projecting through the cover Z3 of the chamber L and by which the disks M M2, with the non-return valve or valves N, can be turned. so that the web M3 willeither be across the water-tube, as in Figs. l, 2, and. 3, or in a line therewith, as in Fig. 4. When the boat is going ahead, the disk parts M' M2, wi-th the non-return valve,.are turned to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, so that the web Mais across the water-tube and the valve N or valves open inwardlytoward the combustion-chamber A, so that the water entering the fore end c' of the water-tube can iiow therethrough, but cannot return. astern, the disk part M M2 is turnedto the position shown in Fig. 4that is, at about right angles to the position which it occupies when. the vessel is going ahead-so that the web M8 will now be in line with the water-p tube G, and there will be aclear passage therethrough.

ln the stern Vportion of the water-tube U instead of employing a self-acting non-return When the vessel is going ICO los

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1 sprocket-wheel m2.

'ahead-valve.

' vedasi `of the water-tube and compel the water to iiow forward past the ahead-valveN, which will then beturned' to the position shown by Fig. 4. In order to facilitate the reversingr of the motion of thevesseL'the spindle m' of the ahead-valve may be so connected to the sluice-v valve O that when the sluice-valve is raised to open the passage through the water-tube to the stern of the boat vthe web M? of the ahead-valve will be turned to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, so that the aheadvalve N will be operative to prevent the water flowing back through the water-tube U' C ahead at the fore 'part of' the ship, and when the sluice-valve is being closed then the connections from the sluice-valve to the aheadvalve turn the web of the latter to the position shown in Fig. 4, so that the water'will thenV be forced out at the fore part of the boat to propel it astern.

rllhe means which I have shown on my drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, for operating the sluiceval ve and ahead-valve simultaneously,as above described, (but which means are only intended as an illustration and not as limiting my invention to this particular arrangement, consist of an endless guy-rope P, which passes round sprocket-teeth 03, formed on the boss of the hand-wheel o2 of the sluice-valve, this part of' the guy-rope Vbeing made as a gearchain to gear with the sprocket-teeth. The guy-rope l) is led over jockey-.pulleys q' q2 qa q2 and around a grooved fixed on the spindle m' on the web lVl3 of' the There 'is a small ball p, fixed on the rope P to gear with a notch m2 in the Assuming that thesluicevalve 0 is open and the ahead-valve occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, then by turning the hand-wheel 02 through asmall angle the endless rope P is moved, thereby turning the ahead-valve to the position shown in Fig. The ball p' now rises out of the notch m, leaving the same at about right angles to the position shown in Fig. 5, and the movement of the hand-wheel is continued so as to close the sluice-valve O. By turning the handwheel 02 in the opposite direction the sluicevalve 0 is opened, and at a short time before the sluice-valve assumes its extreme open position the ball 2J' on the cord l) arrives at and enters the notch m2 of' the wheel m2 of' the ahead-valve and then turns the ahead-valve back to the position shown in Fig. 3 ready for the boat to go ahead.

lin order to keep the combustion-chamber A cool, l prefer to surround the-same with a water-jacket R, through which cold water is caused Vto circulate by any convenient means,

wheel m2, which is such water entering the jacket at 7 yin the lower part of the same and iiowing out through the outlet r2 in the upper part of the saine.

In onder to prevent as far as possible the shocksof' the explosions in the combustion- L.chamber A being felt in the boat, I provide buffers, such as the spring-buffers T T2 U U2,

tor to the boat, so arranged as to absorb or partially absorb the shocks, as aforesaid, and in order to allow of the motor having a little play in a fore-and-aft direction I provide two expansion-joints S' S2 in the water-tube C C2 C3, arranged fore and aft of' the motorl It will be understood that the motor, with the portions marked C' reason of the expansion-joints S' S2 a small af't portion U2 of the water-tube, which by the thrust-brackets c3 c4 is fixed to the vessel. The f'ore part C2 of' the water-tube is also similarly fixed to the vessel by brackets c5 c, The motor is kept in position by the two side rods V' 2, which are situated at the sides of the motor and are fixed to and pass through lugs Z2 Zl on the sides of' the ahead-valve L and slide through' corresponding lugsl c7 c2, formed on the sides of' the fixed part C ot' the water-tube. These rods V V2 are also fixed to and pass through lugs c2 c, formed on the sides of the casing ofthe sluice-valve O, and then they pass and slide through lugs or brackets c 01, f'ormcd on the sides of the fixed stern portion C2 of the water-tube, sothat the buffer-springs T T2, which take the shock of' the explosion when the boat is goingastern, are situated onthe rods V' V2 forward of' the lugs c2 cm and bear between the same and adjusting-nuts fa' o2, fixed on these rods. The other buffersprings U U2, which I call thel aheadsprings, are also situated on these rods V' V2 astern of' the lugs c 01 and bear between the ysame and nuts o3 o, fixed on the ends of the rods V' V2. Thus it will be seen that when the motor is in action the whole of the motor, with its guide-rods V V2 and the portions C of theu water tube, can slide fore and af't slightly in the bearings c7 02 o2 ew and that the shocks of the explosions .in the combustionchamber will be to some extent absorbed by the springs '1" T2 U U2.

l have described my improvements as applied to a boat in which the Water-tube runs right through from the stern to the bows; but

it will be understood that, ifl desired, said water-tube may, as described in the specification ot' the prior British Letters Patent No. 9,099 of 1902, above referred to, instead of' opening out at the extreme ends of the boat'open out thrcugh the sides of the same or through the kee What l claim as my invention, and desire to secure -by Letters Patent, is p 1. ln apparatus of' the kind herein referred to for propelling ships launches boats and where the energy istransmitted'from the moof' the water-tube, have by fore-and-aft movement independently of the f IOO IIO

spring so as'to only open other vessels, the combination with the com bustion-chamber of "a valve controllingr the outlet therefrom and a cylinder and piston of larger area than the valve said piston being connected to said valve so as to act therewith, said cylinder being open to the combustionchamber at one side of the piston and coinmunicating with an air or gas pressure at the other side of the piston so that air or gas un-- der pressure can be forced into the cylinder,A

to act on the piston and close the valve until after the charge of explosive mixture has been forced into and compressed in the combustion-chamber and fired when the increase of pressure in the combustion-chamber due tothe explosion acts upon the difference in area between the piston and the valve and overcoming the air or gas pressure in the cylinder on `the other side of the piston moves the piston and opens the valve and escapes to act upon the water in the water-tube and propel the vessel all substantially as set forth../

` In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for propelling ships launches boats and other vessels provided with a combustion-1 chamberhavng an outlet-valve therefrom controlled by a piston operated by the pressure in the combustion-chamber, an outlet for the products of combustion remaining in the combustion-cham ber from a previous charge, an internally-opening valve in said outlet which is normally open and is closed by the internal pressure in the combustion-chamber in combination with a 'valve opening outwardly in the said outlet and weighted by a when the desired compression-pressure of the explosive mixture in the combustion-chamber has been atp tained said internally-.opening valve being momentarily closed by the 'increased pressure in the combustion-chamber when the charge isy fired, substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for propelling ships launches boats and other vessels, the combination with the combustion-chamber of the`valve E controlling the outlet therefrom, the cylinder F of larger area than the-valve and formed with the combustion-chamber, the piston G fitting in said cylinder andlconnected to the valve E so as to move therewith, the cylinder-cover having an inlet H for admission of compressed air or gas to the back of the piston to close the valve, said cylinder having an outlet Z' for the lescape-of the products of combustion remain# ing from the previous charge, the valve J in said outlet opening inwardly and adapted to close the same when the charge in the combustion-cham ber is fired, and the spring-weighted valve K adapted to onlyvopen for the escape #n of the products of combustion when the demixture in the cylinder has been reached, said parts being constructed and arranged for joint operation in the manner, substantially as set forth and illustrated.

4. In apparatus of the kind hereinvreferred to for propelling ships launches boats and other vessels, the combination with the watertube communicating with the combustionchamber, of the improved ahead-valve therein having a cylindrical body and inlet and outlet communicating with the said water-tube and two disks one4 above and the other below said inlet and outlet connected together by a web having an opening controlled by a self-closing valve and with a spindle projecting through the valve-casing and so arranged that the disks with the valve can be turned so as to either give a free passage in either direction through the water-tube or turned at about right angles to this position so as to allow the water to only ow in one direction, substantially as set forth.

5, In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for propelling ships launches boats and other vessels, the combination with the watertube having two expansion-joints therein, said joints being arranged respectively fore and aft of the combustion-chamber so that the comv bustion-cha'm ber and other operating parts of the motor are capable of a slight longitudinal movement in either direction independently of the outlet ends of the water-tube which are fixed to the vessel, in combination with springs so arranged as to control the said longitudinal movement of the motor and absorb or partly absorb the shocks due to the explosions in the combustion-chamber, substantially as set forth.

6. In apparatus of the kindherein referred to for propelling ships launches boats and other vessels the combination with the combustion-chamber and' its accessories and the portion of the water-tube to which they are fixed;` of the two expansion-joints S' S2, the fixed 'end parts C2 Csof the water-.tube in which the part of the Water-tube to which the combustion-chamber is fixed can slide, the side guide-rods V V? xed to and moving with the` combustion part of the water-tube and sliding in guides formed on the fixed end portions of the Water-tube, with the coiled springs T TZU' U2 on said rods so arranged asfto absorb or partly absorb' the shocks due to the explosions in the combustion-chamber when the vessel is/going ahead or astern, substantially asset forth.

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1n witness wheeo.' I have hereunto set my l hand in presence of two witnesses.

FINGrAL CECIL ORR.

Witnesses:

J AMES` HENDERSON, Geo. RIcHanpsoN.l 

